14 replies to this topic

[Tombob]

I've been bow hunting with vertical bows for over 30 years now and will try with a crossbow next season during our firearms season. I see some guys here use both types or have bow hunted prior to crossbow hunting and was wondering in your opinion...what's the difference? Is there a big difference between the two as far as stand selection, etc...?
Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

[HDMann292]

I bow hunted for many years till I got ill.What I can say is its similar to a compound on distance shooting most kills come from 10 -50 yards just like a compound if you practice and have a perfect shot past 50 you can do it. I have a friend who takes deer out to 75 with complete pass threws.Would I do that shot I doubt it I feel comfortable out to 60 .Deer stands are the same as compound most CB's are around 20-26" wide recurves are wider .I shoot a Barnett Predator CRT 175# shoots around 380FPS with a 22" arrow weighing 447gr. and flat out to around 35yrd.Best advise go to a sporting store that carries as many crossbows as you can and handle them all.Just like a compound when you get the right one in your hands you will know it.A lot of NEW Goodies are coming out now and near spring time its a good time to be looking at the CB's.Do you have a idea what your looking for?

Edited by HDMann292, 12 January 2012 - 08:18 PM.

[Tombob]

Not sure which CB I'll get yet, though the Scorpyd seems like a good start. I guess the real question I have for those with experience using both weapons is- Is using a crossbow much less of a challenge than using a compound? From what I can gather there isn't much of a difference as far as the hunt goes, you still need to be in close range of a relaxed deer. I heard some say that the compound is more challenging because you have to draw the bow with the deer near but I don't buy that as I've never been detected by a deer while drawing the bow.... Mostly just wondering which weapon have you preferred using & why?

[Tim Boone]

Just made the switch this year.I still break out the verticle bow every now and then.I am still adjusting to x bow.It is very combersome compared to a compound in a stand.I do like the fact that you don't have to draw.The real benifit that I noticed was the use of scope and picking the exact spot I want to hit,mostly because the eyes are starting to go.As far as practice goes I shoot both,but not much practice is needed with the x bow as long as you know how to squeeze a trigger.You still have to get close for a good shot.

[HDMann292]

Looking back I enjoy both of them.I do miss my compound but at least Im still able to hunt because of the crossbow .The one thing you really need to understand about crossbows is they are no were as quiet as a compound.True you dont have to draw (compound)on a deer as with a CB but still got watch so ya dont get busted.What is nice if you live in a state that lets you have the option to choose compound or CB.One day ya might say ah feel like the bow today and tomorrow might be the CB.what state are you from?I know you said gun season is when you want to use CB, but do they allow during regular archery season?

[Tombob]

I live in NY where they just made the CB legal to use during firearm season this past year. It's possible the season will be expanded after 2012 though there is a group that is strongly opposed to that. I started researching hunting with a crossbow (which is how I found this site) so I would have an informed opinion on their use in our archery season. It looks like a whole lot of fun to me and I think for kids & older hunters especially it is a no brainer. My Dad could have bow hunted an additional 12-15 years with me had this been legal back then. After learning all I can about the CB & their use in deer hunting, I'm really kind of mad at the group here that has been so strongly opposed to their use. It sounds like our DEC favors expansion of opportunity for use of the crossbow when their 3 year study of them is completed after next fall. So I guess that's an even better question for those that have already been through this...how much has the inclusion of the crossbow really changed archery season where you live? For better or worse?

Edited by Tombob, 13 January 2012 - 09:01 AM.

[al k]

I've used both compound and xbow. Was never very good with compound although I did the weekend 3D shoots for awhile and killed 3 deer with it. Also wounded two deer and missed a mess more. Turns out most of my compound buddies were doing the same thing, ie wounding or missing deer. This will probably get me some grief but I think wounding deer is one of the dirty little secrets of compounds.  How many times have you had a fellow tell you "Well I drew blood tonight" but when you ask to see the deer you find it is still out there somewhere.

Qualified for a disabled permit 5 seasons ago (Permit no longer needed in NC but that was the case back then)my success rate went way up - shot 4 deer with xbow the first year. As others have stated, the xbow is so much easier to become proficient with. If you can shoot a rifle, you can shoot an xbow. Range is still the same as with compound, maybe add 5 yards but not much more.

I have only missed two with my xbow. Missed once when the deer was too far and another time when the arrow hit a limb. I have also killed and recovered 39 in the past 5 seasons. Wounded one but was able to locate and dispatch it.   Disadvantage is it's heavy and clumsy carrying through the woods. You are also limited to one shot.  With my compound I once shot 3 times at same deer - missed each time. Difficult to re-cock for 2nd shot while in a tree stand although I have done it and shot a 2nd deer while waiting for the 1st one to bleed out. Xbow is also noisy but it is also so fast that at 25-35 yards the arrow has already passed through the deer and is sticking in the ground before a relaxed deer has a chance to react.

Edited by al k, 13 January 2012 - 09:27 AM.

[loneranger]

I started back in 1968 with a recurve, on to compounds,,then my Scoliosis, drove me to be insturmental in getting Cross Bows allowed in Mi for Handicapped. Alot of hoops to jump thru, even to get a permit for that. Bow Hunter's Ass. hated C-bows with a passion. Old line was,,"Vert Bows were more "Sporting". Not so sporting for the deer. As previously stated, best kept secret,,alot of wounding/not finding, with compounds. Never thot they would become included in MI,,so much against them, but they did. I now reside in another state where the same opposition remains. Only matter of time,,change is coming to every state. States like Ohio, that have had them included in Archery Season for years, are examples. Now more and more states added. The evidence mounts up. No ill effects on seasons or deer pop. The old,tired arguments,,are just that. Getting old and tired!

[loneranger]

Advantage-C-Bows-You don't have to climb high. Can sit low or on ground-no movement.Advantage-less variables releasing arrow-lesswounding of game-better shots.Disadvantages---one shot-loud!-bulky-heavy-arrow drops faster,though not so much anymore.Still a limited range weapon.An Old Weapon too. Used back to Ancient times, like Vert Bows,Still have to judge distances,get close to animals,have one shot, with an arrow flying thru the air,at far less speed than an animal can react. Still a challenge! Not like a misinformed DNR officer once told me, when i was pushing for inclusion in Archery Season in MI. He said,"They are just like shooting a Rifle". I asked him if he ever shot one, he admitted NO. Enough Said,.

[Old Hoosier]

Having hunted with recurve, and compound for decades, I went to a xbow this year. The scouting is the same, stand placement is the same. The target is the same. Instead of pins, I have a scope for much more precise shots. I no longer need to put on a release or armguard. I do have to cock the xbow before climbing my stand and the xbow is heavier to pull up into the stand. If you take a shot and miss from a treestand, the xbow is harder to cock for a second shot unless you have a crank setup,and requires much more movement. I do not shoot further than my maximum effective range. Which is 40 yards or LESS. Judging distance when you can't use a rangefinder is the same. The xbow is heavier, more cumbersome, alot noisier, somewhat harder to hold up to the shoulder while waiting for a shot than a compound. Speed of my xbow is about the same as some of the new premium compounds on the market today. However,it is 60 fps faster than my compound. I use the same broadheads for the xbow that I did for the compound. I can't pull my compound back anymore, so if I want to continue hunting, the xbow is my hunting tool for the future. Thanks to the wisdom of the Indiana DNR, I can use the xbow during the regular archery season this year (2012) without a disability permit.

[schneep]

I have shot compounds for years, and as I aged and different body parts became bad I switched to a crossbow.  
One false statement you will read is that a crossbow shooter doesn't need to practice as much.  In order to become proficent with ANY weapon, you need to practice. The normal kill range is the same as with a compound if you don't practice enough.  With practice you can extend that range. But just like a rifle shooter, in order to get the extended range you better practice alot.
There is no thing as a "slam dunk" shot, you still need the expertise to pull it off.

[Tombob]

Every where else I've gotten opinions it has been from those who've never fired or even held a crossbow. Thanks for the input, guys!

[UrbanDeerSlayer]

I will echo what has been mostly described already.  I am a new archery hunter. My accuracy went way up with a crossbow.  There is almost no learning curve.  It shoots like a rifle.  I spent a little extra to get the Horton Ultra Lite with the 3 dot scope. Got the top 2 dots sited at 20 yds and 40 yds.  Don't know where the 3rd dot hits (maybe 60 yd?) because I can't find a place to practice that long of a shot. I can't say enough about it.  It's lightweight, shoots 330 fps, and absolutely blows holes through the deer.  I was shooting a compound extensively and was unable to become consistently proficient.  Wounded one deer with a poor shot out of my compound bow, tracked / chased it all day through the neighborhood.  Never retrieved the dead animal.  I was sick!  Ordered up  this crossbow at the CrossbowStore and was shooting dead on almost instantly.  Taken 2 deer with it this season.  Next year, look out!!! Gonna lay them down.

[elkstalkr]

In a few words, not much difference.  Stand placement, distance of shots the same.  

Major difference between the two is this......A vertical bow takes lots of practice each and every season thru out the season to truly be profficient with it.  Granted, not all archers take the time to do that.  In fact in this busy paced world I would guess very few actually practice much at all, but thats another story.  Once a crossbow is sighted in, it takes very minimal practice to be proficient with unless you wanna start taking "long" shots.

[H&S Archer]

The Scorpyd is over the top for some. You defiantly need the best high end quality targets for the fastest crossbows. There are many that are rated around 350 FPS that have great triggers and cost several hundreds less. I always suggest shoot several side by side and then make your choice. A quality full service pro shop will be instrumental.